UbaGate: Yet Another Question For EFCC

 

By

 

Nuhu Shuaib

enshuaib@yahoo.com

 

 

 

November 9, 2006

 

In one of my previous articles titled One Thousand and One Questions for EFCC published in various newspapers across the country, I raised some salient issues for the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission. I did mention that the EFCC is accused of selective justice. While President Obasanjo is having an easy ride with EFCC, his perceived enemies are facing the worst moment of their life. I buttressed my stance with lots and lots of cases.

 

The aspect that is of particular concern to a lot of people is that whenever the name of President Obasanjo or those of his cronies are mentioned in connection with any corrupt practice, EFCC approached it lackadaisically. If Nuhu Ribadu’s response is sought on the issue, his response can be summed up as ‘of all the good work we have done, and still doing, my critics will isolate a small fragment that is not done to castigate us’.

 

However, Nuhu Ribadu’s Commission is known to fly with the speed of lightening to investigate and prosecute cases involving those classified as enemies of the President. A clear example to support this assertion was the recent investigation of Vice President Atiku Abubakar. The speed with which Atiku was investigated, indicted by the Administrative Panel, gazetted by the Federal Government qualifies everyone and institutions involved in the saga for a place in the Guinness Book of Record.        

  

I will lift a paragraph verbatim from my article which is of particular relevance to the present subject matter. It goes thus: Andy Uba, Chris’ elder brother, was marginally surviving on the sale of health insurance policies before he chanced on Obasanjo in 1998. Today, he is said to be stupendously wealthy. But will Ribadu ever probe the source of his sudden wealth? A dog dare not bark in the presence of a hyena. I did not see into the future when I wrote this piece. It is just the reality on ground as I will prove shortly.

 

Andy Uba, Special Assistant to President Obasanjo on Domestic Matters, is at the centre of money laundering in the United States of America as reported by major newspapers across the country. Andy, though eased out of the Presidency, has not denied the allegation which can be taken as admittance of guilt.

 

To the consternation of everyone, a spokesman of the President in the person of Akin Oshuntokun came out debunk the allegation saying that the source of the rumour is questionable and as such should be disregarded. This is even when the man at the centre of the mess has not denied any involvement in the scandal. Akin went further to say that there is nothing in the report to suggest that the said money is public fund. What an absurd statement to be made by a public officer. How is the United States’ agency that investigated Andy supposed to know the source of the laundered money? Anyway, that is by the way.

 

The worst aspect of the scenario was the statement credited o the Chairman of EFCC. That he was not going to investigate Andy until his Commission is officially informed by the United States of America. A case of this magnitude involving the President of our country, using the presidential aircraft for money laundering is not going to be investigated until US notifies you? This is the same Ribadu who, along with el-Rufai, in his recent interview with The Nation mentioned that even if his father was involved in corruption he will not shield him from investigation. The same Ribadu that harasses innocent citizens on mere hearsays will not touch Andy even with the weight of this allegation. What if USA fails to inform the Commission? Can’t the Commission requests for clarification on the issue as did the United States in the case involving Jefferson?

 

Luckily enough, we are made to understand that a United States official has confirmed the indictment of Andy Uba and the report has been forwarded to EFCC. Nuhu Ribadu should prove to the world that his Commission has what it takes to fight corruption in Nigeria so as to absolve the Commission from the selective justice it’s being accused of. And this must be done with the same speed with which he handled the case of the Vice President. The investigation should not be another Bode George which would never see the light of the day.